That's the Way I Loved You
by iRawk
Summary: A Short story of high school lovers who fell in love but broke up.


Mitchie walked onto the boardwalk following Caitlyn. She admired the lights that hung on the posts. They were so colorful.

Caitlyn linked arms with her, smiling. "Told you that you'd enjoy it." Mitchie, a young twenty three year old, had just moved to California to live near her friend. She walked with Selena, linked arm-in-arm.

"So is your boyfriend coming?" Mitchie lightly teased.

She watched as her best friend's cheeks tinted pink. "He's somewhere around here." She spotted her boyfriend just a few feet away, but not wanting to be rude, she stayed with Mitchie.

Michie caught on and smiled. "Go ahead, I'll call you if I need anything."

Caitlyn smiled. "You sure? I mean, you just got here yesterday."

"Yeah, I'll be fun, go have fun." she unlinked their arms and pushed Caitlyn towards her boyfriend, who caught her in his arms.

Shane was strolling around, his best friend had gone off to find his girlfriend, and he was just someone on the boardwalk. He walked to one of the games. One of those ski ball-type of games. A girl who was playing. Her wavy brown hair rippled in the night with the lights reflecting. She wasn't doing so well, and Joe thought this could be a chance to start something so he walked up to her casually. "Looks like you could use some help," he said with a slight smirk.

The girl rolled her eyes, but Mitchie couldn't really see her face. "Who said I wanted help?" The girl had attitude, Joe noted. She turned around to face Joe. Her playful smirk she had quickly became a dropped jaw, the same with Joe.

"Shane?" the girl asked in complete shock.

"Mitchie?"

Mitchie quickly fixed her composure. "It's been forever," she said quietly.

"Almost six years," Shane corrected.

All Mitchie could do was nod. This was her lover from high school, it was amazing how calmly they were talking to each other after what happened six years ago.

"So how have you been?" Shane asked carrying on the conversation.

"Um, great, I finished college as one of the top of my class."

"Great job, Mitchie," he smiled. "Do you wanna get something to eat?"

"Sure," Mitchie gave him a small smile and they walked and talked, just a light conversation like "How are you?" type of things.

As their conversation started to become more silent as they sat down and ate, Shane got the nerve to ask, "Are you seeing anyone?"

Mitchie looked at her soda. "Yeah, I am."

Shane kept his gaze even and his face calm, it hurt him to know she was seeing someone else, but what was he supposed to think? It had been six years, she was supposed to move on. "That's good."

"What about you?" she asked, trying to be polite.

"I'm not with anyone right now." he said trying to be blasé. "I just ended a bad relationship."

"I'm sorry," Mitchie said feeling sorry for him.

He shrugged. "It didn't work out, but life goes on. So how long have you been in town?"

"I just moved here, my friend helped me find a home. My boyfriend's thinking of moving here too."

Well there's goes my chance of winning her back, he thought. "That's great," he lied.

Caitlyn walked over to them, a little confused. "Mitchie, you know Shane?"

"Uh..." Mitchie struggled for an explanation.

"We're old friends," Mitchie slightly smiled, then looked at Selena "Where's Nate?"

Nate then walked over to them wrapping his arms around his girlfriend.

Caitlyn smiled. "Nate, did you know these two were old friends?"

Nate shook his head. "Nope, not at all."

Shane looked at his watch "I've gotta get going," he excused himself and stood from his chair. He looked at Mitchie and gave her a slight smile. "It was great seeing you again."

"You too," she said quietly.

Later in the night, long after Shane had left and Caitlyn was driving them home, Mitchie started thinking about what had happened six years ago.

"Long distance didn't work, Shane!" she yelled.

"Baby, I'm sorry!" he yelled back. "I didn't mean to hurt you!"

"That's the thing Shane, you already did."

"Just give me another chance," he pleaded.

"Shane, you're surrounded by college girls, probably more beautiful and better than me." Mitchie softly told him, looking away from his beautiful face.

Shane stepped closer to her. "They're not as beautiful as you, Mitchie. No one could ever be better than you. I love you."

"Tell that to the girl I saw you with then, Shane," she retorted harshly.

He sighed knowing how much he had hurt her. "Babe -"

"Don't call me that." She gathered the strength to look her lover who had broken her heart in the eyes. "It's over, Shane."

Shane's heart splattered at the same time Mitchie's did. "Mitchie..."

She forced herself to say the words as they broke her heart. "I'm sorry Shane, I just can't do this. It's over." and she walked out of his room without another word, tears threatening to come.

"Mitchie?" Caitlyn's voice floated Mitchie back to reality.

"Uh, yeah?" she asked, trying to shake the thoughts from her mind.

"Are you okay? You've been really quiet since we left. Actually, now that I think about it, you've been quiet since Shane left."

"I'm fine, Cait," Mitchie lied.

Caitlyn pulled up to Mitchie's house. "What's the history between you and Shane?"

Shane sighed. "We were dating, he was a senior and I was a junior,"

"What happened?"

"He went off to college, and things didn't work out, and we broke up."

"Aw, I'm so sorry," Caitlyn said apologetically. "How long had you been dating?"

"A little more than a year," Mitchie said quietly.

Trying to change the subject, Caitlyn asked about John, Mitchie's boyfriend.

"He's coming in to see the place, he might move in with me," Mitchie answered obviously not interested.

Caitlyn noticed the gaze in Mitchie's eyes. "You're in love with him, aren't you?"

Knowing her friend inside and out, she knew who Caitlyn was talking about. "I still do, Cait. I just don't know if he still loves me."

"What about John?"

Mitchie shook her head. "I need rest."

Caitlyn sighed. "Alright, I'll call you."

The next day, Mitchie had stayed at home grabbing her guitar and paper, starting to write a song. "He is sensible and so incredible and all my single friends are jealous...". Later, Mitchie had completed the song. "And that's the way I loved you.."

There was a knock at the door, Mitchie expecting it to be Caitlyn, put her guitar away but left the paper on the counter and answered the door. Mitchie softly gasped. "Shane..."

"Mitchie, hey," he said nervously.

"Uh, What are you doing here?" she asked, not trying to be rude.

"I just wanted to...visit," Shane explained. The truth was, Caitlyn had given him her address.

"Come in, would you like anything to drink?"

Shane stepped into her nice home. "Some water would be great, thanks." he looked around. "This is a really nice place."

"Thanks," Mitchie said shyly, and went into the kitchen.

Shane looked at the counter, seeing the papers. He read the lyrics and saw the date, not sure if it was about him, he quickly looked away as Mitchie came back with a glass of water.

"You still write songs?" Shane asked.

"Um, yeah," Mitchie shyly admitted as she started to gather up her papers.

"Could I hear the song?" Shane gently teased.

Mitchie blushed and after some debating, finally agreed

She sang the song for him consciously trying to make it sound perfect. Joe enjoyed her beautiful voice that he hadn't heard in so long.

"That was amazing," he said.

"Thanks," she was bright red.

Shane smirked. "You still blush easily."

"Stop it," Demi giggled as she put her guitar away.

The two Mitchie settled down in the living room sharing stories.

They became close once again and soon, they were best friends, but both wished to take it to the next step.

Shane knocked on her door.

"Hey Shane," Mitchie smiled letting him in. Shane didn't smile. "What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

"Mitchie, we need to talk."

"Okay..." she said confused.

"Mitchie," he started. "I've never stopped loving you. All these six years, I've still loved you. When we broke up, I felt so much guilt knowing it was my fault. All I wanted was to apologize, but I knew it was time to cool off, but I didn't know that we were gonna be away from each other for this long. I want to apologize, Dems, for everything, and I know you're with someone who's probably the perfect boyfriend, but just know I'm sorry."They looked at each other for a good few seconds until Joe turned and walked out into the rain.

"Shane, wait," Mitchie said running out the door. "I never stopped loving you either."

Shane turned around. "Really?"

She half-smiled walking towards him. "And who said John's the perfect boyfriend?" Mitchie slowly wrapped her arms around his neck, not caring the slightest bit that she was getting soaking wet. "Maybe I miss screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain," she said now smirking.

Shane smiled knowing the girl he didn't stop thinking about still loves him back. Mitchie leaned up and pressed her lips against his, making it a perfect kiss in the rain.


End file.
